New group seeks to reduce students’ stress at FHS

Wednesday

Sep 3, 2014 at 9:38 AMSep 3, 2014 at 5:05 PM

By Scott O'ConnellDaily News Staff

FRAMINGHAM – A new student-lead campaign at Framingham High seeks to enact changes at the school that will reduce stress for students.Students Advocating Against Stress has already created a Facebook page and a petition on Change.org that had garnered 91 supporters as of Wednesday afternoon, and plans to collect signatures at the high school as soon as this morning, the group said in a press release."This petition comes as another school year begins, and shows that FHS has yet again failed to take any measures to protect its students from the unhealthy stress and lack of sleep that they go through every day," the release says. "The students backing this are a very diverse group of students that all have inspiring and touching thoughts to share on the issue.""We were kind of sick of people just saying things, so we wanted to do something," said Framingham High junior Jake Binnall, who helped devise the campaign along with fellow junior Thuy Hoang.The group’s online petition suggests several policy changes at the high school, including limiting homework over the weekend and during summer break, creating a testing schedule that ensures students aren’t taking more than one test a day and recommending study periods for upperclassmen.Adam Goldberg, the high school's new principal, said he hadn't yet spoken to the students behind the campaign as of Wednesday afternoon, and could not yet comment about their recommendations. But in general, he said, he takes the topic seriously."I share a great concern about the amount of stress students are under," he said. "And I very much look forward to having this discussion."Goldberg said he hopes to schedule a number of meetings for students, parents and other members of the public throughout the year on the subject, which he said "is as much a community issue as a school issue."According to the MetroWest Health Foundation's latest health survey taken at Framingham High in 2012, for example, nearly 30 percent of students reported their life had been very stressful in the past 30 days.The SAAS online petition, meanwhile, includes testimony from dozens of signers describing the at times overwhelming stress brought on by their schoolwork. Some even reported the pressure had exacerbated their underlying anxiety or other health issues."I feel an incredible amount of stress day to day as well as lack of sleep due to the amount of school work and extracurricular activities I was recommended to take," wrote student Megan Amico, who added she'd like to see the high school assign more manageable workloads."We just want the school to do something about it," Binnall said. "They don't have to follow all our suggestions. But they have to do something."Scott O'Connell can be reached at 508-626-4449 or soconnell@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottOConnellMW